WO1999043200A1

WO1999043200A1 - Apparatus for shearing the stems of crops and the like

Info

Publication number: WO1999043200A1
Application number: PCT/NL1999/000092
Authority: WO
Inventors: Willibrordus Jaring Miedema
Original assignee: EXPLOITATIEMAATSCHAPPIJ VAN DEN BERG BLOKKER BV
Current assignee: EXPLOITATIEMAATSCHAPPIJ VAN DEN BERG BLOKKER BV
Priority date: 1998-02-26
Filing date: 1999-02-22
Publication date: 1999-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 2000-08-26
Also published as: EP1056332B1; NL1008428C2; EP1056332A1; DE69909439D1

Abstract

An apparatus for shearing the stems of crops and the like comprises first and second shearing members (1, 2) movable to and away from each other, and a drive for effecting the movement of at least one shearing member. The drive of the shearing member is such that the relative movement of the shearing members (1, 2) includes both a component of motion perpendicular to the cutting plane and a component of motion parallel thereto. The first shearing member (1) is stationary and constructed as anvil, whereas the second shearing member (2) is movable. The drive of the second shearing member (2) is constructed as circular drive such that the component of motion of the second shearing member (2) parallel to the cutting plane is continued in the same direction after engagement with the first shearing member (1) and before the returning movement is started. The apparatus according to the invention excels by good cutting performance and a wide usability.

Description

Apparatus for shearing the stems of crops and the like

The present invention relates to an apparatus for shearing the stems of crops and the like, comprising first and second shearing members moveable to and away from each other, and a drive for effecting the movement of at least one shearing member.

Several apparatus exist for cutting-off the stems of crops, for example sawing, cutting and shearing apparatus. The cutting and sawing apparatus comprise a circular cutting blade or saw blade, by means of which the stems of a bunch of flowers or the stems of a shrub are cut off to the same length. The drawback of these apparatus is that they produce relatively much noise, and that they are furthermore not very suitable for cutting off woody stems of crops. A shearing apparatus in accordance with the preamble of claim 1 is known per se, it comprises an upper and a lower shearing member, wherein the lower shearing member consists of a stationary blade and wherein the upper shearing member consists of a moveable blade, which is capable of upward and downward movement past the lower blade. The drawback of this is that the cut surface of the stem portion that remains does not look nice, and that the blades tend to move apart when cutting thicker, woody stems, with fibres remaining on the cut surfaces.

The object of the present invention is to provide a shearing apparatus of the kind referred to in the preamble, wherein the above drawbacks are alleviated or eliminated in an efficient manner.

In order to accomplish that object, the apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the drive of the shearing member is such that the relative movement of the shearing members includes both a component of motion perpendicularly to the cutting plane and a component of motion parallel thereto. This special movement of the shearing members relative to each other results in a combined cutting and shearing movement, as it were, which leads to a much better cutting performance. The required shearing force is much lower, whilst the risk of fibres being formed is much smaller, because said fibres are cut through during this cutting movement.

For the sake of simplicity, it is advantageous for the first shearing member to be stationary and the second shearing member to be moveable. Preferably, the stationary first shearing member is constructed as an anvil in that case .

In this embodiment, moving apart of the shearing members no longer takes place, because deformation of the anvil is excluded and the moveable second shearing member is loaded symmetrically relative to the shearing plane, as a result of which there will be no moving out in a direction perpendicularly to the moveable shearing member.

It is advantageous thereby if the stationary first shearing member is constructed with an insert of plastic material for cooperation with the second shearing member, since the plastic material will not cause any wear on the second shearing member, whilst the cutting movement of the second shearing member nevertheless provides a good cutting performance, without a sharp first cutting member being needed. In that case, the blade may be thin and be sharpened on two sides, so that the stems will not be damaged by the shearing member.

A further improvement of the apparatus according to the invention is realised by constructing the drive of the second shearing member as a circular drive, such that the component of motion of the second shearing member parallel to the cutting plane is continued in the same direction after engagement with the first shearing member and before the return movement is started.

Such a circular movement of the second shearing member also has a very advantageous effect on the cutting performance, whilst this aspect furthermore makes the apparatus suitable for being incorporated in a flower processing line, wherein the flowers, shrubs or the like are transported in one direction and through the shearing apparatus, as it were. The return movement of the second shearing member does not take place until the cutting movement has been completed and the second shearing member is no longer in contact with the first shearing member.

It is also advantageous in this flower processing line if the second shearing member opens widely on the in- feed side and only a little on the outlet side, since a wedge is formed in this manner, into which the stems of the crop can be easily introduced and correctly positioned with respect to the shearing members. It is advantageous thereby if the second shearing member is moved completely out of contact with the first shearing member, so that the crop can still be discharged from the shearing apparatus in the exceptional event that the stems are not cut through completely. The invention will be explained in more detail hereafter with reference to the drawings, which show an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention. Figs. 2 - 7 are very schematic front views of the apparatus according to Fig. 1, showing six different positions during shearing.

The drawings show an apparatus for shearing the stems of crops and the like, wherein the apparatus is especially suitable for shearing woody stems, for example those of chrysanthemums and shrubs, such as forsythia. The apparatus is also quite usable, however, for a shearing other kinds of cut flowers or also vegetables, such as asparagus and the like. In order to be able to carry out its shearing function, the apparatus is provided with a first, stationary shearing member in the form of an anvil 1, and with a 10 10 NJ t H H in o in o in o in

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Claims

7 CLAIMS

1. An apparatus for shearing the stems of crops and the like, comprising first and second shearing members moveable to and away from each other, and a drive for effecting the movement of at least one shearing member, characterized in that the drive of the shearing member is such that the relative movement of the shearing members includes both a component of motion perpendicularly to the cutting plane and a component of motion parallel thereto.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first shearing member is stationary and the second shearing member is moveable.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said stationary first shearing member is constructed as an anvil .

4. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims 3, wherein the stationary first shearing member is constructed with an insert of plastic material for cooperation with the second shearing member.

5. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the drive of the second shearing member is constructed as a circular drive, such that the component of motion of the second shearing member parallel to the cutting plane is continued in the same direction after engagement with the first shearing member and before the return movement is started.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein one end of the second shearing member describes a circular path which includes a relatively large component of motion in a direction perpendicularly to the cutting plane, and that the end of the second shearing member describes a circular path which includes a relatively small component of motion in a direction perpendicularly to the cutting plane.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said drive comprises a crank mechanism.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said second shearing member is suspended from a rocker arm near 8 one end, whilst it is connected to said crank mechanism at some distance from said rocker arm.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said crank mechanism and said rocker arm are geared to each other in such a manner that the end of the second shearing member present on the side of the crank mechanism describes a circular path which includes a relatively large component of motion in a direction perpendicularly to the cutting plane, and that the end of the second shearing member present on the side of the rocker arm describes a circular path which includes a relatively small component of motion in a direction perpendicularly to the cutting plane.

10. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said second shearing member consists of a blade which is sharpened on two sides.

11. A processing line for processing and transporting crops and the like, comprising a conveyor and a shearing apparatus disposed along said conveyor, which shearing apparatus comprises first and second shearing members moveable to and away from each other, and a drive for effecting the movement of at least one shearing member, characterized in that the drive of the shearing member is such that the relative movement of the shearing members includes both a component of motion perpendicularly to the cutting plane and a component of motion parallel thereto, wherein the direction of transport of the conveyor is the same as that of the component of motion parallel to the cutting plane.

12. A processing line according to claim 11, wherein the drive of the second shearing member is constructed as a circular drive, such that the component of motion of the second shearing member parallel to the cutting plane is continued in the same direction after engagement with the first shearing member and before the return movement is started.

13. A processing line according to claim 10 or 11, wherein one end of the second shearing member describes a circular path which includes a relatively large component of motion in a direction perpendicularly to the cutting plane, and that the end of the second shearing member describes a circular path which includes a relatively small component of motion in a direction perpendicularly to the cutting plane, wherein said one end of the shearing member including said relatively large component in a direction perpendicularly to the cutting plane is positioned on the in-feed side of the apparatus .